Baroness Amos: Mining of Afghanistan's natural resources such as coal, gas and minerals represents a significant economic opportunity over the medium and long term. DfID, the US and the World Bank have provided support to help the Government of Afghanistan develop this sector. DfID provides £3.85 million in technical assistance to the Ministry of Mines and the Afghan Geological Survey, to help build institutional capacity to manage these resources and attract foreign investment.
	DfID provides £1 million to the Afghanistan Investment Guarantee Fund (AIGF)—a World Bank administered trust fund that pools funding from the Asian Development Bank and Germany. This is an innovative mechanism which seeks to help entrepreneurs overcome the risks involved in investing in fragile and post-conflict states. To date, $18 million in foreign investment has been leveraged for an agri-business project in northern Afghanistan.
	DfID also provides funding for research on other economic opportunities that create jobs andwealth. For example, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has explored the prospects for trade and enterprise in sectors such as carpets, raisins, and construction materials.
	DfID is providing £3 million for research into potential agricultural livelihood options for rural Afghans. The fund helps identify local, national and international market opportunities for high-value alternative crops, including an organic export feasibility study. DfID also provides £3.7 million for new and innovative ways for farmers to make a living in Eastern Hazarajat (one of the poorest areas in Afghanistan), including apricot drying, poultry, honey bee keeping, tailoring and weaving, silk and cashmere wool production and the introduction of fruit tree nurseries and greenhouses for vegetable production.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The latest data on anti-social behaviour orders issued, as reported by the courts, covers the period up to September 2005 and has already been published on the crime reduction website. Data for the March 2006 quarter will be ready later in the year, but data for the December 2005 quarter is currently prepared for publication, and we hope that it will be ready soon. This publication will include data about the breach rate for the period up to December 2005.

Lord Drayson: A review of the Army post-operational stress management (POSM) policy was undertaken in September 2005. No substantive changes were made to the section of the policy relating to the role of families and colleagues in detecting mental ill health, since it already recognised that friends and family, colleagues, and those in the chain of command all have a part to play in detecting and managing operational stress. The policy recognises that they are often the first to notice changes of mood, behaviour or work performance in someone who has returned from an operational tour.
	We emphasise the importance of families being made fully aware of the warning signs and symptoms, what they can do and who can help them, and we offer presentations and leaflets as part of this educational process.
	Efforts are also made to arrange a "decompression period" for personnel immediately prior returning from deployment. The exact form of the decompression period varies between the services and depends on the individual unit's circumstances, but in general it allows personnel mentally and physically to unwind after their operational tour and provides them the opportunity to talk to friends, colleagues and superiors about their experiences.
	The individual unit's chain of command uses the decompression period to monitor and identify those personnel who are apparently most vulnerable to any form of post-operational stress or stress-related condition. During this time, all personnel are offered a briefing on post-operational stress.
	Once back at their home base, if treatment is required for a mental health condition this is provided either as out-patient treatment in one of our 15 regional departments of community mental health (DCMHs) in the UK or satellite centres overseas, or as in-patient treatment at regional facilities run by the Priory Group. The regional locations of the DCMHs and the Priory facilities mean that treatment can be provided close to an individual's unit, base or home, thus allowing the vital support from families to continue.

Lord Drayson: Figures for the trained strength can be found in Tri Service Publication 1 (TSP 1 ).
	TSP 1 is a monthly publication and copies are held in the Library of the House and can also be found at www.dasa.mod.uk. The most recent publication shows data as at 1 September 2006.
	
		
			 Figures for the Regular and Volunteer Reserve forces at1 September 2006 
			  Naval Service1,2 Arm RAF4,5 
			 Regular Reserve 34,610 33,100 360 
			 Volunteer Reserve 2,120 36,100 1,400 
			 Source: DASA
			 1 Source of Naval Service data is Fleet—CMR 
			 2 Figures for Naval Service are trained personnel only 
			 3 Army Volunteer Reserve figures include Group A & B, Mobilised TA and Officer Training Corps, but excludes non-regular permanent staff and full-time reserve service (FTRS). 
			 4 RAF Reserve (RAFR) figure is for active RAFR only, does not include those who have left the service and have reserve liability. 
			 5 RAF figures include personnel serving on FTRS. 
			 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 
			 P denotes provisional 
		
	
	Due to the deployment and movement of personnel changing continuously, it is not possibleto say how many personnel will be abroad on15 December.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information is in the table:
	
		
			 Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance claimants in Great Britain by age-group and gender, as at February 2006. 
			  All Percentage of population Female Percentage of female population Male Percentage of male population 
			 All 2,747,490 5.8% 1,158,500 4.8% 1,588,990 6.9% 
			 Unknown age 70 - 20 - 40 - 
			 16-17 8,550 0.6% 4,150 0.6% 4,400 0.6% 
			 18-24 160,400 3.0% 74,130 2.8% 86,270 3.2% 
			 25-34 352,360 4.6% 147,530 3.8% 204,840 5.4% 
			 35-44 591,690 6.6% 263,740 5.8% 327,950 7.4% 
			 45-49 346,700 8.8% 168,660 8.5% 178,030 9.2% 
			 50-54 393,000 11.0% 196,770 10.9% 196,220 11.1 
			 55-59 540,840 14.2% 268,400 13.9% 272,440 14.5% 
			 60-64 324,710 10.7% 12,720 0.8% 311,980 21.1% 
			 65 and over 29,190 0.3% 22,380 0.4% 6,810 0.2% 
		
	
	Notes:1. "-" denotes nil or negligible.2. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Percentages given are those for each age-group. 4. Percentages rounded to one decimal place.Sources: Information Directorate 100 per cent WPLS; ONS population estimates.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The informationis in the table; no estimates are availablefor the number of incapacity benefit anddisability living allowance claimants who receivecare.
	
		
			 Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claimants by whether they are also in receipt of disability living allowance care components; in Great Britain as at February 2006. 
			  Number Proportion of IB/SDA recipients 
			 Not in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA). 1,470,910 53.5% 
			 Receiving DLA higher rate care component. 274,630 10.0% 
			 Receiving DLA middle rate care component. 407,560 14.8% 
			 Receiving DLA lower rate care component. 365,380 13.3% 
			 Receiving DLA with no care component. 229,000 8.3% 
			 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 
			 2. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. 
			 3. DLA cases are only those where an amount is in payment, and do not include cases where payment has been suspended. 
			 Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS.

Lord Rooker: The cost of the Bloody Sunday inquiry was calculated in July 2006 at £172 million. It has not been possible to provide a more up-to-date answer to the noble Lord's Question in this parliamentary Session. I will write to the noble Lord. Click here to read the answer.

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 18 October (WA 1867),what is the basis for their assertion that a person who acquired British Overseas citizenship under Article 6(1) of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 as a result of being a Hong Kong British Dependent Territories citizen under Section 16 of the British NationalityAct 1981 did so by birth; and whether they will make the relevant updates to the B(OS) application form and guidance notes.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I said in my previous Answer that a person who was a British Overseas citizen under Article 6(1) of the 1986 Order "will be so effectively by birth"—the implication being that it would suffice for the purpose of his or her application under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981 to indicate that such was the derivation of his or her British Overseas citizenship. I acknowledged inthat reply that some changes were needed so that references to section 4B applications gave clear guidance to those who had acquired British Overseas citizenship on that basis. We shall at the same time ensure that the form and guide B(OS) appropriately cater for those who are British Overseas citizens under Article 6(2) of the 1986 order.

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Regarding Section 75 groups recognised by paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, how many consultations the Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland has arranged in each year since 1999; what those consultations were; and what groups they consulted.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Available information on drug convictions relate to persons found guilty at court and are given in the first tables. Population data for 1980 and 1985 are not available centrally.
	Data on convictions for alcohol offences broken down by police force area are available from 1985 onwards. The available information is given in the second tables.
	Data for 2004 has been provided instead of 2005; 2005 data will be available in late November.
	
		
			 Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for alcohol offences (1) and the percentage of the population, by police force area, England and Wales, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2004(2)(3) 
			  1985   1990   1995 
			 Force Defendants found guilty Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted 
			 Avon and Somerset 899 490 1,413,740 0.03% 232 1,463,384 0.02% 
			 Bedfordshire 421 160 531,168 0.03% 111 545,660 0.02% 
			 Cambridgeshire 396 43 655,047 0.01% 94 693,871 0.01% 
			 Cheshire 679 590 958,562 0.06% 451 978,089 0.05% 
			 Cleveland 993 689 552,836 0.12% 299 559,160 0.05% 
			 Cumbria 755 671 491,627 0.14% 436 490,279 0.09% 
			 Derbyshire 733 234 929,401 0.03% 171 957,856 0.02% 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,011 725 1,493,970 0.05% 566 1,541,467 0.04% 
			 Dorset 313 367 656,827 0.06% 226 678,668 0.03% 
			 Durham 799 381 596,928 0.06% 209 607,670 0.03% 
			 Essex 495 202 1,464,129 0.01% 167 1,505,725 0.01% 
			 Gloucestershire 239 77 529,494 0.01% 113 552,731 0.02% 
			 Greater Manchester 3,855 2,776 2,582,384 0.11% 1,351 2,578,300 0.05% 
			 Hampshire 2,036 981 1,676,412 0.06% 927 1,741,785 0.05% 
			 Hertfordshire 591 256 840,560 0.03% 137 858,496 0.02% 
			 Humberside 682 319 856,250 0.04% 150 889,191 0.02% 
			 Kent 737 406 1,523,673 0.03% 428 1,551,261 0.03% 
			 Lancashire 2,491 1,446 1,390,794 0.10% 924 1,426,037 0.06% 
			 Leicestershire 117 53 891,926 0.01% 33 923,001 0.00% 
			 Lincolnshire 314 167 586,855 0.03% 25 611,846 0.00% 
			 Merseyside 3,917 3,696 1,447,983 0.26% 1,667 1,427,195 0.12% 
			 Greater London(5) 4,150 6,318 7,227,344 0.09% 1208 7,495,527 0.02% 
			 Norfolk 218 95 748,501 0.01% 175 772,365 0.02% 
			 North Yorkshire 240 61 576,059 0.01% 281 599,284 0.05% 
			 Northamptonshire 3,874 3,485 1,431,721 0.24% 36 1,438,311 0.00% 
			 Northumbria 250 418 722,305 0.06% 1,580 730,636 0.22% 
			 Nottinghamshire 637 511 1,014,822 0.05% 346 1,031,939 0.03% 
			 South Yorkshire 2,932 2,600 1,295,191 0.20% 874 1,303,857 0.07% 
			 Staffordshire(4) 719 865 1,038,990 0.08% 339 1,056,448 0.03% 
			 Suffolk 283 169 641,029 0.03% 191 656,809 0.03% 
			 Surrey 218 144 743,803 0.02% 101 775,226 0.01% 
			 Sussex 925 457 1,416,690 0.03% 560 1,462,346 0.04% 
			 Thames Valley 1,516 1,161 1,960,401 0.06% 887 2,047,463 0.04% 
			 Warwickshire 336 68 483,060 0.01% 119 498,662 0.02% 
			 West Mercia 762 561 1,078,501 0.05% 409 1,114,158 0.04% 
			 West Midlands 3,953 1,882 2,615,409 0.07% 584 2,637,154 0.02% 
			 West Yorkshire 3,580 2,467 2,066,609 0.12% 1,080 2,105,772 0.05% 
			 Wiltshire 256 275 558,395 0.05% 258 590,610 0.04% 
			 Dyfed-Powys 622 342 469,378 0.07% 196 473,988 0.04% 
			 Gwent 1,429 987 446,843 0.22% 685 452,564 0.15% 
			 North Wales 512 754 651,846 0.12% 724 658,668 0.11% 
			 South Wales 2,103 1,651 1,305,014 0.13% 1,154 1,331,562 0.09% 
			 England and Wales 51,988 40,000 50,562,477 0.08% 20,504 51,815,021 0.04% 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 2004 
			 Force Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted 
			 Avon and Somerset 394 1,511,778 0.03% 433 1,519,119 0.03% 
			 Bedfordshire 218 565,748 0.04% 135 576,218 0.02% 
			 Cambridgeshire 186 730,183 0.03% 205 737,890 0.03% 
			 Cheshire 561 984,311 0.06% 485 992,642 0.05% 
			 Cleveland 531 556,693 0.10% 499 553,311 0.09% 
			 Cumbria 472 491,040 0.10% 450 494,782 0.09% 
			 Derbyshire 309 977,779 0.03% 358 979,226 0.04% 
			 Devon and Cornwall 856 1,586,655 0.05% 541 1,619,062 0.03% 
			 Dorset 380 698,330 0.05% 158 700,419 0.02% 
			 Durham 463 606,683 0.08% 359 595,388 0.06% 
			 Essex 600 1,628,962 0.04% 213 1,635,605 0.01% 
			 Gloucestershire 187 564,841 0.03% 144 572,791 0.03% 
			 Greater Manchester 1,082 2,585,750 0.04% 606 2,539,043 0.02% 
			 Hampshire 1,253 1,785,986 0.07% 620 1,801,442 0.03% 
			 Hertfordshire 380 1,050,828 0.04% 345 1,041,319 0.03% 
			 Humberside 215 880,985 0.02% 134 887,521 0.02% 
			 Kent 917 1,598,032 0.06% 1,078 1,610,310 0.07% 
			 Lancashire 1,937 1,429,450 0.14% 736 1,434,871 0.05% 
			 Leicestershire 31 938,693 0.00% 24 945,480 0.00% 
			 Lincolnshire 416 634,348 0.07% 418 673,531 0.06% 
			 Merseyside 1,609 1,403,381 0.11% 1,184 1,365,832 0.09% 
			 Greater London(5) 1294 7,375,065 0.02% 1390 7,429,222 0.02% 
			 Norfolk 200 803,970 0.02% 136 816,525 0.02% 
			 North Yorkshire 535 625,895 0.09% 244 764,866 0.03% 
			 Northamptonshire 33 1,413,970 0.00% 28 646,731 0.00% 
			 Northumbria 3,473 753,946 0.46% 3,741 1,396,374 0.27% 
			 Nottinghamshire 396 1,031,210 0.04% 227 1,034,739 0.02% 
			 South Yorkshire 1,001 1,301,532 0.08% 878 1,278,434 0.07% 
			 Staffordshire(4) 306 1,059,711 0.03% 234 1,050,609 0.02% 
			 Suffolk 276 679,915 0.04% 381 683,736 0.06% 
			 Surrey 423 1,080,647 0.04% 355 1,067,186 0.03% 
			 Sussex 494 1,522,401 0.03% 469 1,510,445 0.03% 
			 Thames Valley 934 2,127,782 0.04% 737 2,120,859 0.03% 
			 Warwickshire 198 509,959 0.04% 135 525,481 0.03% 
			 West Mercia 428 1,146,670 0.04% 389 1,178,763 0.03% 
			 West Midlands 407 2,619,021 0.02% 600 2,579,153 0.02% 
			 West Yorkshire 1,267 2,121,452 0.06% 594 2,108,028 0.03% 
			 Wiltshire 320 613,487 0.05% 329 626,809 0.05% 
			 Dyfed-Powys 264 482,827 0.05% 287 503,663 0.06% 
			 Gwent 343 557,368 0.06% 248 556,641 0.04% 
			 North Wales 699 660,263 0.11% 400 674,498 0.06% 
			 South Wales 1,256 1,245,737 0.10% 1,052 1,217,660 0.09% 
			 England and Wales 27,544 52,943,284 0.10% 21,979 53,046,224 0.04% 
			 (1) Includes offences of drunkenness, drunkenness with aggravation and offences related to alcohol licensing etc 
			 (2) These data are provided on the principal offence basis. 
			 (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
			 (4) Staffordshire Police Force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates' courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis. 
			 (5) Includes city of London and Metropolitan Police 
			 Source: RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform 
		
	
	
		
			 Persons found guilty for drug offences(1) and percentage of the population convicted, by police force area, England and Wales, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2004. 
			  1980 1985 1990 1995 
			 Force Defendants found guilty Defendants found guilty Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted 
			 Avon and Somerset 383 358 164 1,413,740 0.01% 890 1,463,384 0.06% 
			 Bedfordshire 76 110 137 531,168 0.03% 370 545,660 0.07% 
			 Cambridgeshire 293 151 234 655,047 0.04% 336 693,871 0.05% 
			 Cheshire 170 223 324 958,562 0.03% 997 978,089 0.10% 
			 Cleveland 115 98 93 552,836 0.02% 249 559,160 0.04% 
			 Cumbria 174 335 326 491,627 0.07% 559 490,279 0.11% 
			 Derbyshire 101 167 219 929,401 0.02% 571 957,856 0.06% 
			 Devon and Cornwall 414 696 689 1,493,970 0.05% 1,003 1,541,467 0.07% 
			 Dorset 151 197 165 656,827 0.03% 480 678,668 0.07% 
			 Durham 59 62 61 596,928 0.01% 395 607,670 0.07% 
			 Essex 240 344 400 1,464,129 0.03% 786 1,505,725 0.05% 
			 Gloucestershire 199 194 154 529,494 0.03% 342 552,731 0.06% 
			 Greater Manchester 519 1,019 1,356 2,582,384 0.05% 2,375 2,578,300 0.09% 
			 Hampshire 317 315 214 1,676,412 0.01% 1,232 1,741,785 0.07% 
			 Hertfordshire 193 313 336 840,560 0.04% 532 858,496 0.06% 
			 Humberside 145 260 264 856,250 0.03% 595 889,191 0.07% 
			 Kent 234 308 96 1,523,673 0.01% 828 1,551,261 0.05% 
			 Lancashire 357 425 585 1,390,794 0.04% 1,199 1,426,037 0.08% 
			 Leicestershire 249 211 192 891,926 0.02% 393 923,001 0.04% 
			 Lincolnshire 72 51 186 586,855 0.03% 406 611,846 0.07% 
			 Merseyside 267 1,059 1,399 1,447,983 0.10% 1,753 1,427,195 0.12% 
			 City of London & Met Police 5,587 6,678 6,329 7,227,344 0.09% 7,784 7,490,326 0.10% 
			 Norfolk 260 176 391 748,501 0.05% 597 772,365 0.08% 
			 Northamptonshire 115 77 105 576,059 0.02% 267 599,284 0.04% 
			 Northumbria 120 221 289 1,431,721 0.02% 756 1,438,311 0.05% 
			 North Yorkshire 76 162 109 722,305 0.02% 484 730,636 0.07% 
			 Nottinghamshire 146 147 145 1,014,822 0.01% 749 1,031,939 0.07% 
			 South Yorkshire 145 298 351 1,295,191 0.03% 1,010 1,303,857 0.08% 
			 Staffordshire 83 220 235 1,038,990 0.02% 661 1,056,448 0.06% 
			 Suffolk 222 157 244 641,029 0.04% 410 656,809 0.06% 
			 Surrey 270 406 361 743,803 0.05% 425 775,226 0.05% 
			 Sussex 497 458 860 1,416,690 0.06% 839 1,462,346 0.06% 
			 Thames Valley 472 608 911 1,960,401 0.05% 1,357 2,047,463 0.07% 
			 Warwickshire 78 86 171 483,060 0.04% 185 498,662 0.04% 
			 West Mercia 262 156 376 1,078,501 0.03% 596 1,114,158 0.05% 
			 West Midlands 280 663 1,148 2,615,409 0.04% 1,255 2,637,154 0.05% 
			 West Yorkshire 341 395 942 2,066,609 0.05% 2,228 2,105,772 0.11% 
			 Wiltshire 120 147 102 558,395 0.02% 205 590,610 0.03% 
			 Dyfed-Powys 199 212 186 469,378 0.04% 509 473,988 0.11% 
			 Gwent 122 134 144 446,843 0.03% 284 452,564 0.06% 
			 North Wales 195 276 375 651,846 0.06% 1043 658,668 0.16% 
			 South Wales 278 597 578 1,305,014 0.04% 924 1,331,562 0.07% 
		
	
	
		
			  2000 2004 
			 Force Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted Defendants found guilty Mid-year population figures Percentage of population convicted 
			 Avon and Somerset 1,040 1,511,778 0.07% 805 1,519,119 0.05% 
			 Bedfordshire 500 565,748 0.09% 226 576,218 0.04% 
			 Cambridgeshire 410 730,183 0.06% 380 737,890 0.05% 
			 Cheshire 1,053 984,311 0.11% 644 992,642 0.06% 
			 Cleveland 681 556,693 0.12% 780 553,311 0.14% 
			 Cumbria 460 491,040 0.09% 538 494,782 0.11% 
			 Derbyshire 734 977,779 0.08% 732 979,226 0.07% 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,350 1,586,655 0.09% 1,389 1,619,062 0.09% 
			 Dorset 775 698,330 0.11% 736 700,419 0.11% 
			 Durham 564 606,683 0.09% 476 595,388 0.08% 
			 Essex 1,229 1,628,962 0.08% 945 1,635,605 0.06% 
			 Gloucestershire 513 564,841 0.09% 398 572,791 0.07% 
			 Greater Manchester 2,629 2,585,750 0.10% 2,631 2,539,043 0.10% 
			 Hampshire 1,710 1,785,986 0.10% 1,333 1,801,442 0.07% 
			 Hertfordshire 561 1,050,828 0.05% 690 1,041,319 0.07% 
			 Humberside 748 880,985 0.08% 904 887,521 0.10% 
			 Kent 1,626 1,598,032 0.10% 1,049 1,610,310 0.07% 
			 Lancashire 1,728 1,429,450 0.12% 1,331 1,434,871 0.09% 
			 Leicestershire 756 938,693 0.08% 892 945,480 0.09% 
			 Lincolnshire 382 634,348 0.06% 470 673,531 0.07% 
			 Merseyside 2,216 1,403,381 0.16% 1,939 1,365,832 0.14% 
			 City of London & Met Police 10,358 7,375,065 0.14% 9,338 7,429,222 0.13% 
			 Norfolk 690 803,970 0.09% 9,338 816,525 1.14% 
			 Northamptonshire 446 625,895 0.07% 243 764,866 0.03% 
			 Northumbria 2031 1,413,970 0.14% 1,943 646,731 0.30% 
			 North Yorkshire 527 753,946 0.07% 368 1,396,374 0.03% 
			 Nottinghamshire 1291 1,031,210 0.13% 1,245 1,034,739 0.12% 
			 South Yorkshire 1945 1,301,532 0.15% 1,260 1,278,434 0.10% 
			 Staffordshire 809 1,059,711 0.08% 857 1,050,609 0.08% 
			 Suffolk 560 679,915 0.08% 614 683,736 0.09% 
			 Surrey 677 1,080,647 0.06% 445 1,067,186 0.04% 
			 Sussex 750 1,522,401 0.05% 1,068 1,510,445 0.07% 
			 Thames Valley 1,527 2,127,782 0.07% 1,284 2,120,859 0.06% 
			 Warwickshire 293 509,959 0.06% 207 525,481 0.04% 
			 West Mercia 861 1,146,670 0.08% 677 1,178,763 0.06% 
			 West Midlands 3,523 2,619,021 0.13% 3,359 2,579,153 0.13% 
			 West Yorkshire 3,203 2,121,452 0.15% 2,200 2,108,028 0.10% 
			 Wiltshire 588 613,487 0.10% 454 626,809 0.07% 
			 Dyfed-Powys 887 482,827 0.18% 582 503,663 0.12% 
			 Gwent 895 557,368 0.16% 574 556,641 0.10% 
			 North Wales 679 660,263 0.10% 605 674,498 0.09% 
			 South Wales 1,782 1,245,737 0.14% 2,086 1217660 0.17% 
			 1. Offenders dealt with following joint operations involving HM Customs and Revenue and the police are generally recorded against HM Customs.

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many days during the past six months one or more fisheries patrol boats were on duty on Lough Neagh; and what were the hours spent on patrol on the Lough on each of those days.

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Statement by the Lord Drayson on 19 October (WS 87-8) on Gulf War illness, for how long the studies referred to lasted; and whether the marmosets were exposed to the same range of vaccines and insults, such as uncontrolled spraying or organophosphate pesticides, DEET, low-level sarin, oil well fire residues and depleted uranium, as service personnel; and
	Further to the Written Statement by the Lord Drayson on 19 October (WS 87-8) on Gulf War illness, whether they will take steps to ensure that future studies into illnesses of veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War take into account to the fullest extent possible factors or combinations of factors to which service personnel were subject.

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have recorded and retained the serial numbers of other identification information in respect of any weapons or other military material supplied to the Government of Iraq.

Lord Triesman: The Government believe that the Gaddafi Development Foundation (GDF) will carry out its functions as a monitoring body independently and effectively. Both the Libyan and British Governments have undertaken to support the monitoring body's full and unrestricted implementation of its terms of reference.
	The GDF is the largest and most experienced non-governmental organisation in Libya. It has been operating since 1998. It frequently adopts public positions which are distinct from those of the Libyan authorities; for example, in its work on the case of the Bulgarian and Palestinian medical staff accused in 1999 of deliberately spreading HIV in a children's hospital in Benghazi. The British Government have undertaken to provide capacity building assistance which the GDF may request in preparation for carrying out its monitoring role. The GDF has so far identified a need for training in forensic medicine and on the application of international human rights law. The Government are making arrangements for such training to take place.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The complete information requested is not currently held centrally within the Home Office and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	In terms of the future, the Home Office will look at better ways of collating and making available information about recommendations made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman following their investigations in a way which is commensurate with the ombudsman's own publication procedures. We will be in touch with the ombudsman about this and I will write to the noble Lord with details of our proposals.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The complete information requested is not currently held centrally within the Home Office and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman itself publishes a range of information about its investigations. For example, in terms of its role in examining access to official information, the Ombudsman's report of May 2005 (Monitoring of the Non-Statutory Codes of Practice 1994-2005 (Access to Official Information)) shows that between 1994 and 2005 the Home Office was subject to 18 investigations. Of those investigations, the ombudsman found that in one instance the department has failed to comply with its recommendations.
	In terms of the future, the Home Office will look at better ways of collating and making available information about recommendations made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman following their investigations, in a way which is commensurate with the ombudsman's own publication procedures. We will be in touch with the ombudsman about this and I will write to the noble Lord with details of our proposals.

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they propose to bring an Irish language Bill before Parliament; and whether any such Bill will include parity of treatment for the Ulster-Scots language, as required by the Belfast Agreement of 1998.

Lord Rooker: The 2007 budget for the Ulster-Scots Agency will be determined in accordance with approved actions in the agency's annual business plan. The Government are committed to affording equal respect to Ulster-Scots and the Irish language. They are however at different levels of development, as indicated by the different levels of recognition under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Officials are working with representatives of the Ulster Scots community to agree a strategy to assist Ulster-Scots in achieving Part III status.